Orange Guard Review

via orangeguard.com

About a month or so before a 32 fluid ounce bottle of Orange Guard, a non-toxic pest control spray, arrived at my house for my test and review, I bought a natural pest control spray at my local grocery store. Not only did this spray not work, but it also smelled terrible. Every time I used the pest spray I heard complaints about the bad smell from my kids, my husband and myself. Fortunately, Orange Guard doesn't have a bad smell to it, but does it work any better than the one I bought from the grocery store?

Everyone in my household loves the smell of this a water-based insecticide Orange Guard. It has a very pleasant citrus smell to it. How well does it work though? I can't decide. I have mixed feelings about Orange Guard. I believe it works, but not on all bugs listed on the bottle. I'll start by explaining my ant problem.

Almost every summer ants escape the heat by crawling into my home through a crack(s) in the wall behind the refrigerator. It starts with one or two trails of ants, but in a day or two, if I don't manage to control them, the and trail has become several and they are all over the floor, the kitchen counters and the pantry. Killing them off isn't easy and eventually more of them come back. I have found pest control products that kill the ants, but the stuff is usually filled with harmful chemicals I don't feel safe having around my family. The ants eventually come back too. This year I sprayed them with Orange Guard and weeks later the ants haven't come back.

What about the roaches? Every summer large winged roaches like to creep into my house too. I hate roaches. I really really hate roaches. So I was more than happy to spray the Orange out of the Orange Guard on them. It's no surprise then that my 32 fl ounce bottle of OG was quickly gone. Unfortunately, it didn't work on them as well as I would have liked. First of all roaches are really fast insects. By the time I ran to get my Orange Guard Spray  bottle to kill a roach the roach was already gone. If the roach was still there one spray from the bottle and the roach would take off fast. Did it die? I have no idea. It took off too quickly to tell. On occasion I managed to spray a roach with Orange Guard enough so that it slowed the roach down enough for me to kill with a rag or a shoe. Why didn't I wait and see if it died, because if I did it would disappear. As a result I never saw a roach die immediately or eventually from Orange Guard, but I did see a slowing affect. On one occasion I trapped a roach, sprayed it, until it slowed down and then left the room for several minutes. When I came back I expected to see a dead roach, but instead it's as if I never sprayed it all. Did Orange Guard wear off? It definitely does not kill on contact, like it says on the the bottle.

I tried Orange Guard on flies too. No where on Orange Guard does it say that it kills flies, but I thought it couldn't hurt to try and see if it could. Flies like roaches move too quickly to see results. I find that my flyswatter always gives me great results.

About Orange Guard: "Orange Guard was created as an alternative to harsh chemical insecticides that contain hazardous contaminants which may lead to potential long-term health and environmental dangers. Since Orange Guard is non-toxic, it is safe to use around food, adults/children and pets and kills insects on contact, repelling them for weeks. The effectiveness of Orange Guard lies in the ingredient d-Limonene orange peel extract that is a natural repellant. It is a water-based, indoor and outdoor insecticide that exterminates ants, roaches, fleas, aphids, spider mites, leaf hoppers, and other insect pests. Recognized as safe by the FDA and is EPA registered, it leaves a pleasant citrus smell in the home rather than that harsh chemical smell that conventional insecticides often carry. Now you can control insects in and around your home without worrying about your family, your pets, and the environment!" For more information about Orange Guard visit the website here: http://www.orangeguard.com/

I really like the idea of using a non-toxic pest control product with a pleasant smell in my home, but I think Orange Guard may have to strengthen its formal a bit and test it out really well on those resilient roaches, before I'll buy it. Then again it did work on the ants... If the ants come back next year I'll give Orange Guard another chance.

Note: When spraying a bug on the floor Orange Guard leaves a slippery residue on the floor. So, it is important to clean up immediately after use to avoid any slip and falls.


Disclaimer: Orange Guard provided me with a free sample of this product to review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product. My opinions are my own.

Tropical Traditions Organic Shredded Coconut Review and Giveaway

via Tropical Traditions

Lately, my mom has been making a big effort to improve her and my father's diet. So, she's asked me to search for a deal on dried coconut in bulk. Just my luck, Tropical Traditions sent me a 1 gallon bucket to sample and review. They're even offering a gallon to one of my readers.

If 1 gallon of organic shredded coconut doesn't sound like a lot of coconut to sample.... think again. A little of this shredded coconut goes a long long way. I've been sampling it here and there for over a month and there is still plenty of coconut to use on future meals. 

My coconut experience. My first recipe to try with the shredded coconut was coconut shrimp. Wow! What a wonderful way to eat shrimp. I don't regret making this at all. This was some of the best coconut shrimp I have ever made... that I've ever tried. My youngest daughter who hates shrimp or any seafood loved my coconut shrimp. Everyone loved this dish. It was so crispy and so so perfect. Wow! It was easy to make too. I also added some coconut to the rice I made to serve on the size. Not only was it tasty but it appears that my one cup of rice turned into 3 cups when cooked with the coconut. Was I just hungry?  

Next, I made a banana smoothie and added coconut to it. It add a really nice texture and flavor to it. I also discovered that if I accidently add too much sugar in my smoothie adding more coconut will fix the problem. 

Then I applied it to a whole chicken and baked it. This also produced a tasty dish. I had no idea you could combine chicken and coconut together. 

After that I finally pulled out my blender and followed the coconut milk recipe video posted on the Tropical Traditions website here. It was surprisingly easy. We (hubby, kids and I) drank it like regular milk and also added it to cereal. It wasn't our favorite way to use the coconut, but it really gave me some ideas like cooking or baking with it. I'll have to do some research to see if there is a heat difference to it as compared to regular cow milk. 

I used the coconut in a few other recipes too and I can't say there was one I didn't like. I gave my mom some to sample too and I'll be ordering some for her in the next week or so. 

What about the price? I haven't researched the cost of organic shredded coconut so, I don't know much about the cost for Organic Coconut, but considering how much food I made with the coconut, how delicious it was and how long it has lasted and compare to the price, it appears to be a really good deal. Buying it under the Healthy Buyers membership would save me even more money. 

What I don't like! Opening and closing the bucket is frustrating. It's a well sealed bucket and easy to store, but for my small hands I need a lid-off pail opener or something to open it up and a heavier object to shut it tightly. 

The Giveaway: Open to U.S. and Canada. One lucky winner will receive a gallon of Tropical Traditions organic shredded coconut. *Deadline: July 30th, 2011. 

Mandatory Entry:  

Visit Tropical Traditions. Then leave a comment below with your Tropical Tradition favorite. 

Additional Entries: (leave one comment for each additional entry you complete)

-If you follow GGG on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)

-Put the GGG button your blog (please leave link)

-If you follow GGG on Twitter

-If you follow GGG on Facebook

-Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter @troptraditions

- Subscribe to Tropical Traditions email Sales Newsletter here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm

Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Please leave a valid email address if it is not visible in your profile. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email before a new winner is selected.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

The Floral Flip N' Sip Stainless Steel Water Bottle Review

www.enviroproductsinc.com/

Convenient and safe reusable water bottles are important to me. I need an eco-friendly reusable bottle big enough to hold plenty of water. I don't want to have to refill it every five minutes, but I also want it small enough to easily carry in my hand, my kids' hands or in a bag. I want to be able to easily drink from the bottle too. So, the design of the bottle's cap also matters.  Enviro Products new designer series has a cap design that I really appreciate.

The review: I was sent one of the 20 oz. (600 ml) Floral Stainless Steel Water bottle from the new designer series to try and review. This water bottle isn't much different than most safe eco-friendly water bottles. It's lightweight and easy to carry. It's eco-friendly features include: #304 Food Grade Seriously Safe Stainless® and no hidden liners or Epoxy Resin. It is also BPA free.

However, the cap on the bottle is unique. The cap has a High Flow Flip N' Sip that allows my kids and I to quickly and easily drink from the bottle. We don't have to suck out or squeeze out the water in order to drink it. It flows out easily, but not excessively, just enough for a good sip.  Flip it up and quickly drink a sufficient amount of water, no spillage or embarrassment. Flip it down and it's closed, that quickly. Then put it in the bag and there is no spillage.  The grip on the cap is a great feature too. It makes it easier to carry and easier to open. The bottom of the grip has a bit of sharp edge and digs into the skin, but I plan on filing it down a bit to help reduce the sharpness.

Most caps for reusable water bottles are not as convenient as this one. For example, when pull-up caps are wet they are difficult to pull up and over time and use they become difficult to pull up at all. I often resort to using my teeth to pry them open. This leaves tooth marks on the cap and that's just a breeding zone for germs. Some pull up caps need double-checking; forget to push it down all the way and the water will spill out. Many pull up caps are low flow and it take forever to get a good sip.  Bottles with twist tops can sometimes be difficult to open, especially with sweaty hand or for kids and the elderly. During a workout when a quick sip is important, twist top bottles are frustrating to drink from because they take longer to open. Once open I have to worry about the wide mouth of the bottle. It makes it much easier to clean, but when in a hurry (during a workout) if I drink too quickly I'll spill it all over myself.

The durability: I’m rough on my bottles. My kids are too. We take them everywhere and we are clumsy with them. Most of our bottles have dents in them because we continue to drop them. I’ve only had this bottle for about a month and as much as I have dropped it already, I have yet to find any dents on it.

The concern: I'm not a big fan of painted reusable water bottles. Over time paint chips off or dulls. I haven't had my bottle more than a month and I can see the bottom of the bottle's paint already begin to chip. In my experience, this is a normal time frame for most reusable bottles with paints, but I would like to know what the paint is made with. Chipped paint is not something I want slipping into my kids or my water. I would also like to know how to clean or replace the flip/sip part of the cap. This is the part that touches the mouth. So, I think it is just as important it is as easy to clean as the bottle itself.

For more information on this bottle or any of the other eco-friendly products on the site visit the Enviro Products website http://www.enviroproductsinc.com/.

22 Days Nutrition Power Pack Bar Review and Giveaway

22daysnutrition.com

*Giveaway Closed* 

Winner is entry #50 

Congratulations BeautyToLove

I am a long time wanna-be vegetarian, but the drastic change from a life long meat eating diet to a meatless diet isn't as easy as flipping a switch from on to off. When  other's in your household don't believe in meatless meals it is even more difficult to change. I like the 22 days to change approach to change from 22 Days Nutrition. I recently reviewed some of their blissful treats.

The review: I received 2 power packs, 4 vegan bars in each box. None of the bars contain high fructose corn syrup, gluten, soy, trans fats or cholesterol. They are also all low in sodium. Out of six flavors I was mailed 4 flavors to try: Nut Butter Buddha Crunch, Enlightened Pumpkinseed, Cherry Chocolate Bliss and Daily Mocha Mantra (all vegan bars). Cherry Chocolate Bliss was my absolute favorite. The name suits the bar very well. well. My taste-buds were blown away by the perfectly textured and perfectly flavored nutrition bar.

On the other-hand I felt the  complete opposite about the Daily Mocha Mantra bar. I couldn't finish the bar. This is by far the worst bar I have ever tasted, but keep in mind I am biased. Why? I am not partial to coffee. In fact, I hate (strong word I know) coffee. I can't stand the smell or taste of it and this nutrition bar has plenty of coffee taste and smell to it. I'm sure anyone else who loves coffee would love this bar

The Nut Butter Buddha Crunch is a tasty bar too, but because of the 3 digits temperature in my hometown the chocolate melted in my mail box. I learned sticking the bar in the freezer solves that problem. The chocolate... so subtly sweet. The crunch... perfect.

I wasn't too fond of the Enlightened Pumpkinseed bar. It wasn't terrible like the Mocha bar, but it isn't a bar I would buy. However, my two year loved it.

At almost $3 a bar I found that the small bars to be a bit expensive for my pocketbook. Still, small as the bars are, they are packed with a lot of raw organic nutrition inside them. These bars are great for breakfast on the go, healthy, filling and easy to eat. On sale, I'd order a couple of boxes of Cherry Chocolate Bliss, for a bar a day, and take part in the 22 day challenge. Could a bar as delicious as this change my meat eating ways? Possibly.

The Giveaway: Open to U.S. only. One lucky winner will get 1 power pack to sample. *Deadline: June 30th, 2011.

Mandatory Entry: Visit 22 Days. Then leave a comment below to tell me what flavor you think you would like best.

Additional Entries: (leave one comment for each additional entry you complete)
-If you follow GGG on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
-Put the GGG button your blog (please leave link)
-If you follow GGG on Twitter
-If you follow GGG on Facebook
-Follow 22 Days on Twitter   http://www.twitter.com/22DaysNutrition
-Follow 22 Days on Facebook   http://www.facebook.com/22days

Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Please leave a valid email address if it is not visible in your profile. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email before a new winner is selected.

Disclaimer: 22 Days provided me with a free sample of this product to review. I was under no obligation to review it if I chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

SPF15 Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review and Giveaway

www.skinmdnatural.com

*Giveaway Closed* 

Winner is entry #3 

Congratulations Amanda

I love reviewing lotions, especially eco-friendly made lotions made for sensitive skin. As a green blogger with sensitive skin I know what I like or don't like in a lotion. So, when the opportunity to try Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion, SPF 15 came my way I took it.

My review: I reviewed, a 4 oz bottle of SPF15 Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion. 4 ounces of lotion doesn't sound like a lot of lotion to sample, but a little bit of this lotion goes a long way. I also found the size and shape of the bottle to be the perfect size to store and find in my purse.

Greasy? When I sit down to type up a review I often have the product I'm reviewing near me to taste, touch, see, listen or feel again. It helps reminds me (my notes do too) why or why I didn't like a product. One thing I often notice about lotions is their greasiness. If they are greasy the greasiness often smears onto the keyboard buttons and my fingers slip a little or they feel so greasy I have to rub the lotion off onto a napkin to make it comfortable to type again. I didn't have this problem with Skin MD.

Skin MD has a thin (not too thin) layer of moisturizing lotion that absorbs into my skin right away leaving behind a lustrous look and smooth feel on my skin. I had no skin irritation from it and the soft scent is very pleasing. I also had no need for reapplications during the day.

How affective is the SPF 15 in preventing sunburns? To be honest, with temperatures soaring in the 3 digits here... I stay indoors as much as possible. So, I have no idea if the sun protection works or not.

However, I am impressed that the facility where the lotion is made is 100% solar powered. "Our lotions are made to be free of parabens, petrochemicals, dyes, and other irritating ingredients. They are also vegan, cruelty free, and ego-friendly. We don't participate in animal testing or use any animal products in our lotions and Skin MD Natural is formulated in the United States in a facility that uses 100% solar power" (http://www.skinmdnatural.com/).

I could do without the small print at the back of the bottle. It was difficult for me to read "other ingredients". It is important to me to be able to read the ingredients so I know what I'm actually putting on my skin. What I do like is Skin MD's break down of ingredients on their website here. Still, I'd like Skin MD to make the font larger or clearer to print on the bottle.

What kind of score does Skin Deep give this lotion? According to the EWG's Skin Deeps Cosmetic Database this lotion scored a 5 (a moderate score) in the ratings in November 1999. This was the most updated rating I could find and may or may no longer be accurate.

The Giveaway: Open to U.S. and Canada. One lucky winner will get 4 oz. full-sized bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion. *Deadline: June 30th, 2011.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Skin MD. Then leave a comment below, tell me what you learned about natural skin care.

Additional Entries: (leave one comment for each additional entry you complete)
-If you follow GGG on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
-Put the GGG button your blog (please leave link)
-If you follow GGG on Twitter
-If you follow GGG on Facebook
-Sign up for Skin MD Natural Skin Care news letter http://www.skinmdnatural.com/newsletters/newsletter.php
-Follow Skin MD on Twitter   http://twitter.com/skinmdnatural
-Follow Skin MD on Facebook   http://www.facebook.com/skinmdnatural
-Sign up for Skin MD Natural Skin Care news letter http://www.skinmdnatural.com/newsletters/newsletter.php

Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Please leave a valid email address if it is not visible in your profile. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email before a new winner is selected.

Disclaimer: Skin MD provided me with a free sample of this product to review. I was under no obligation to review it if I chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Natural Deodorant Review and Giveaway

*Giveaway Closed* 

Winner is entry #8 

Congratulations rubynreba

I need a deodorant that will not irritate my skin, but also masks my odor well. There are only about handful of deodorants that I do both. After about month of reviewing Tropical Traditions roll on natural deodorants I’ve put it on my list of good deodorants.

I typically don’t like roll-on deodorants. They tend to leave my armpits feeling gooey/sticky. A deodorant has to feel good too, not just mask odors. Tropical Traditions did both; instead of leaving behind a sticky texture this natural roll on deodorant left behind a smooth thin layer of scented oil on my armpit.

I received 3 roll on natural deodorants from Tropical Traditions: Classic, Frankincense, Lavender. The scent of each one is soft, subtle and calming, not at all overpowering. All ingredients in each deodorant, about 8-10, are easy to read, understand and completely natural. My favorite deodorant to use has been the lavender scented deodorant. That isn’t to say the others don’t work well or smell great too.

What about the price? Natural deodorants tend to be expensive and from my limited experience don’t seem to do the job as well as I would like. Tropical Traditions deodorant is pricey, but it does do the job and does it well. If I ever had to reapply it was at most once a day and usually on days when didn’t get to sit down all day. A few times with one of my thin blouses I noticed the deodorant would leave a slight wet stain as if sweat in the armpit of the sleeve. The trick to that was to put on the deodorant a few minutes before putting on the blouse to let the deodorant dry a bit. Then carefully put on the blouse.

Be careful not to let the deodorant tip over either. If not shut tightly, it will spill. Trust me, you don't want to waste any of this. 

Note: Healthy Buyer members can buy in bulk and save some money on deodorant and other items.

The Giveaway: Open to U.S. & Canada. One lucky winner will receive their choice of Tropical Traditions roll on natural deodorants. *Deadline: June 15th, 2011. 

Mandatory Entry: 

Visit Tropical Traditions. Then leave a comment below with your preferred deodorant scent. Is there a scent that you would like to see added?  

Additional Entries: (leave one comment for each additional entry you complete)

-If you follow GGG on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)

-Put the GGG button your blog (please leave link)

-If you follow GGG on Twitter

-If you follow GGG on Facebook

-Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter @troptraditions

- Subscribe to Tropical Traditions email Sales Newsletter here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm

Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Please leave a valid email address if it is not visible in your profile. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email before a new winner is selected.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Mama Palooza- CozyPads Review and Giveaway

CLOSED

Congratulations! Winner  #17 Ms. M

Like disposable diapers, disposable pads are convenient to use, but they add to our landfills and can deplete our bank accounts. Reusable pads are a great way to save money and to reduce waste. This is a review of reusable pads from Tamarack Creations.

What I received: CozyPad Cloth Maxi in Turquoise and Lime Flowers and CozyPad Mini Green and Blue Dots. The pads I received have a plastic snap button on the wings of of the pad to allow for easy and quietly wrapping around the panties. Quietly is important to me because I feel it allows users to be discreet with usage. Disposable pads often have that noisy plastic/paper strip glued to the bottom of the pads and on the wings. When taken off it is loud and crinkly. Everyone near the bathroom door can hear who is on their period.

These reusable pads are also soft, thin and even lighter than I expected them to be and so they are comfortable to use. Reusable pads, depending on the type of pad (how they're made and who makes them) can be slightly heavier and thicker to wear than disposable pads. This can become uncomfortable.

I didn't feel either of these pads I tried are absorbent enough for heavy days. They would have to be changed out too often, in my opinion, but they are great for medium to lighter days. I haven't tried the JazzyPads available on the website, but I believe the JazzyPad line would be more suitable for heavy days.

Price comparison: Reusable pads tend to be more expensive than disposable pads initially, but over the long hall they are more affordable than disposable. Why? Because they can be reused over and over. Use them. Wash them and then use them over and over again. The environmental impact is great too. The entire pad is reusable. There is nothing to throw away, no pad wrapper, no pad, nothing. Even better, Tamarack Creations reusable pads   are more affordable than other reusable pads on the market today, cutting the cost even more.

Fun comparison: The design of both pads are very attractive. Taking a look at the website many of the pads on Tamarack Creations have fun and attractive designs to choose from.  When the time comes, I plan to introduce my daughters to disposable and reusable pads. I hope fun designs like this will help when them over. I'll make sure to let them know about the environmental and financial benefits of the reusable, of course.

Promo-code: INTRO10 for 10% a single order.

Giveaway: One winner can win a a CozyPad Cloth Maxi and a CozyPad Mini. Deadline: April 30, 2011. To ENTER [MANDATORY ENTRY (you must do this FIRST)] visit Tamarack Creations and tell me what design is your favorite.

Additional Entries (optional)
(Please leave a new comment per additional entry):
-If you follow GGG on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
-Put the GGG button your blog (please leave link)
-If you follow GGG on Twitter
-If you follow GGG on Facebook
- Follow Tamarack Creations on Facebook

Disclaimer: Tamarack Creations provided me with a free sample of this product to review. My opinions are my own.

Mama Palooza- S'well Bottle Review and Giveaway

*Giveaway now closed. Winner #57 Lili! Congratulations!*

image via S'well website

Is this another reusable bottle review? Yes, but the design of this bottle is worth a try. It has a design I found met my reusable bottle needs. With a slim grip, wide mouth, nice look, and sturdy bottom to easily stand when put down the bottle was easy and pleasant to use.

Eco facts: The bottle can hold up to 17 ounces of water. Because of it's double walled, insulated construction beverages stay cold or hot for a long time. It is made of stainless steel (18/8 food grade). The bottle is also toxin free, does not leach and is very sturdy. Despite the insulation, the bottle is lightweight. In addition the people that make S'well have teamed up with WaterAid, a non-profit organization that delivers "water solutions to world’s poorest communities". For every bottle sold 10% percent of the proceeds are donated to this charity.

The wide mouth design is made so that makes it easy to drink from the bottle and it's plastic bottle mimicking bottom makes it easy to set it down in a hurry. This is important to me as a fitness instructor. I want to get a good hydrating sip of water and then quickly put the bottle down without worrying if it will suddenly tip over and make this huge noise. The bottoms design makes this possible. The opening, the mouth of the bottle is big enough to fit in ice cubes through, but not so big that when I drink from it in a hurry I don't spill it all over myself. I've tested it and it works. There was far less spillage drinking from the S'well than any of the other reusable bottle I own. 

Does it really keep the temperature? I don't really have a need to use my bottles for hot beverages and never have. Therefore, I would have nothing to compare it too and so I wont. On the other hand I love when my cold water stays cold. Swell did keep my water cold. I never took a thermometer to it to test and compare to other bottles, but I did let my bottle sit in the car many times and was never disgusted with hot water. 

The bottle design is elegant is casual and professional. It's the type of bottle people would not be embarrassed to be seen with and so are more likely to carry the bottle to other places other than the gym, thereby reducing their use of plastic bottles. S'well is even available in 7 bright colors making it easier to match with outfits.

It's a little pricey though. At $35 a bottle I don't know that I would pay that much for a bottle. I can find reusable bottles for less than $12. They may not have the sleek design and wide mouth feature S'well does, but as long as it's not a plastic bottle I'm okay with it. I'd love to see the price go down quite a bit. It is a nice looking bottle though.

The giveaway: One of my lucky readers can win a S'well just like this one. So if you’re a mom, know a mom, love a mom, or plan to be a mom this is a great green gift just in time for Mother’s Day.  To win visit the Swell website. Then come back here and leave a comment below letting us know what other colors or designs you would like to see on the Swell bottles. You can get extra entries for following us through GFC, Facebook, twitter or Subscribing via email. Make sure to let me know in the comments below. The giveaway deadline is April 20th, 2011. US only please. I will choose the winner using Random.org. Please make sure your email is on your profile or leave it in your comment. If you win and I cannot contact you then the prize goes to the next person. Please respond within 48 hours or the prize will go to the next person.

Disclosure: I received a S'well bottle to review for free from S'well. My opinions are my own.

Mama Palooza- Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote Review and Giveaway

*CLOSED Congratulations! Winner #25 Amanda*

A few months ago I reviewed Preserve’s recycled Tableware sent to me from Green Ostrich, an eco-friendly store online. Not too long after they sent me another green product to review from their store, the Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote. It’s a green gift just in time for our Mother’s day event, Mama Palooza.

Eco facts: The Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote is made from 100% recycled 600D Polyester. The bamboo part of the tote is only in the décor of the bag and not the actual material. The tote also has “a rubberized, non-toxic, waterproof coating on the underside of the body fabric”. The company that makes the tote, Instinctive Bags and Backpacks (Motive Collective), has a take back policy that allows customers to return the bag when they no longer wish to use it and receives a 10% discount on their next purchase. Motive Collective repairs the bags and then donates it to someone in need. I love take back programs like this. In addition the tote is manufactured in a Fair Labor Association and Social Accountability International approved factory and 3% of gross sales are contributed to the WILD Foundation.

I’ve had about a little over a month to really use this Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote. I find it to be very sturdy, well cushioned and of a favorable height and depth. I can easily stand a few of my Girl Scout Leader notebooks (depending on width) and paperwork in the tote. The tote also has a lot of great pockets inside and a good snug one on the outside of the bag. The shoulder straps are wide, sturdy and comfortable to wear. The bag also has an attractive casual look that makes it easy to wear with or take almost anywhere.

On the other hand I found the bag wasn’t expandable enough for my needs. Because of this I found that I was limited in ways I could use the bag. I could not really use the bag for groceries or my workout clothes unless I took out my workout shoes. It is also too long and deep to be a purse for my taste. The best and most efficient use I had for this bag was for my Girl Scout paper work. I could slide in a few narrow notebooks, folders and paperwork, but not much else.

As my girl scout tote I would like to have just a little more space in the tote to fit a few more materials such as: crafting materials (enough for 1 meetings worth), a thicker notebook too.  Here are the dimensions of the bag as listed on the Green Ostrich website: 16-inches/40.6 cm (h) x 11-inches/27.9 cm (w) x 3.5 inches/8.9 cm (d)

In addition, the pocket on the outside of the tote was snug, perfect for just a few small office supplies (pens, pencils, a pair of scissors, sticky notes, etc.) or a slim water bottle, but nothing much bigger. I would love to have a pocket on the outside that is a little bit deeper and a little bit wider for those days when I am in a hurry and don’t have time to try to fit a folder inside the narrow tote. The pockets on the inside are spacious and very useful, but because the bag is narrow when center is full the pockets can’t really be used or are not easy to get too.

Otherwise, this is a bag that wont tear or fall apart anytime soon and will carry what ever you hold well. For more information about this tote go to the product page for this item: Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote.

Look a Coupon! Green Ostrich is offering a coupon and the code is “GGG”.  By entering this code during the checkout process you will earn 5% off any purchase between now and Dec 31, 2011. Also feel free to Fan the Green Ostrich Facebook page.

The giveaway: One of my lucky readers can win a tote just like this one from Green Ostrich. So if you’re a mom, know a mom, love a mom, or plan to be a mom this is would be a useful green gift just in time for Mother’s Day.  To win visit the Green Ostrich website. Then come back here and leave a comment below letting us know what other products on their site you are interested in. You can get extra entries for following us through GFC, Facebook, twitter or Subscribing via email. Make sure to let me know in the comments below. The giveaway deadline is April 15th, 2011. US only please. I will choose the winner using Random.org. Please make sure your email is on your profile or leave it in your comment. If you win and I cannot contact you then the prize goes to the next person. Please respond within 48 hours or the prize will go to the next person.

Disclosure: I received Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote to review for free from Green Ostrich. My opinions are my own.

Read my Preserve Tableware review here.